10 Things I Miss About Male'

Its been almost five months since I moved to Canberra and surprisingly I miss Male' or at least somethings about it.

So, here is a list of 10 things I miss about Male'. Its written in no specific order and I pretty much miss all of them equally.

 - Beach, Sea, Ocean

For over 4 months since I moved here I didn't see a beach, the sea or the ocean. I miss the feeling of salty air on the face when going on Boduthakurufaanu Magu. I love the smell of sea salt near Raalhugandu. I miss the sand between my toes and the sea around me.

(lazy day at viligli beach after work)

 - Sea House

Before I moved here Sea House was one of the places I spent the most time at. Since last Ramazan I have gone to the place at least 5 times a week. I miss the random late night coffees and ridiculously expensive dinners. I miss the countless breakfast here and using cutlery to eat roshi just because I can. I miss the friendly servers specially Hussain and Thaman who were amazing and really sweet. I miss drenching in rain and taking cover in Sea House with a cup of coffee. I miss spending hours and hours over coffee talking about random stuff. I miss because this is where I spent a lot of good and bad times and it holds so many memories.

(view from Sea House Cafe')

- Neru Baththi

Neru Baththi holds a lot of memories, I have taken most of the people I dated here. It feels like a refuge away from the sights and sounds of Male'. I have fallen in and out of love here and therefore is a very special place for me. I miss the waves crashing by the side and the sea salt sprayed on the face. I miss the faces on the ferries which comes and goes and the waterfront of Male' which is always lit up.

(a family at the Neru Baththi on a cloudy day)

 - The over crowded streets

I like crowded places. Crowded but still with enough space to move and breath. Not stuffed crowded. I miss walking like a bullet missing and dodging people. I miss all the different faces I see every day. I miss the sights and sounds. I miss the constant buzz of motorcycles and the annoying beeps. I miss the constant flow of people in and out of the shops.

(outside Iyyas place)

 - Random bike rides

I loved bike rides and the fact I didn't drive did not stop me from this. I miss going round and round Male'. I miss the sights of dozens of others doing the same. Driving pointlessly with no specific target in mind. I miss the wind of the face and that relieving feeling. I miss all the conversations which happen on the bikes and I also miss the calmness of the silence which happen at times. I miss listening to loud music and speeding for the thrill of it. I miss it all.

(sunset one random day)

 - Dine-more submarine / Kaage Ladaa Beef

I love Beef Submarine with extra cheese and chilli from Dine-more. I love it. I was introduced to Kaage Ladaa Beef later and I immediately fell in love with it too. These two were my favourite junk and the reason I ate.

(surprisingly I didnt have a picture of either on instagram!)

 - Coffees and lunch dates

I miss all the random coffees at Sea House, Jazz, Shell Beans, Sea Gull, Olive Garden, Symphony, Marry Brown and countless other place. I miss the bad coffee. I miss the random conversations. I miss the creepy guy who stares. I miss the cute one sitting at the next table. I miss just sitting cause there is nothing better day. I miss having just a cup of coffee cause thats all you can afford. I miss the lunch dates on working date. I miss trying to act classy, and I miss dressing up classy, and I miss ordering healthy food just because.

(breakfast at Jade)

(coffee at Kings Corner)

 - Weather

When I moved here the sun was up for over 16 hours everyday with temperatures upto 40 degrees and now the sun is not up for 11 hours and the temperature goes as low as 2 degrees. I miss the constant weather in Male', sunny or gloomy its 30 degrees everyday. I miss the rainy days when we would go on random walks. I miss the sunny days and the ice creams.

(view of Male' from above)

 - Tea time and Hedika

Husnooge bajiyaa and Saatanugey gulha, oh, how I miss them. I miss hedika with black tea so bad. I miss tea time at Lemongrass Seaview and tea times at random Carnival and Harbour tea shops. I miss the spicy little tid bits. I miss the spices and the oily food.

(tea and hedika at Lemongrass Seaview)

 - Viligili and Hulhumale'

I miss going to these two places. I miss barbies at Hulhumale. I miss random drives around Hulhumale' and I miss walking pointlessly hand in hand with someone loved. I miss taking a dip in the ocean in the middle of the night. I miss the calmness of the place. I miss the vastness of the place. I miss random trips to Viligili. I miss having tea at random shops. I miss break fast at neru baththi. I miss catching the ferry at 6 in the morning and spending the rest of the day in the sea. I miss the dozens of late night coffees here just because. I miss it all.

(Hulhumale' from above, with boats and safaris scattered below)

(Viligili beach from the cafe')

The only reason why I miss all this is because of the memories and its you all, my friends who were with me in making these memories. (I have avoided friends and family as it will be in another post)

Thank you all and have a good day. And comment below if there are other things you miss.

(Hoodh and I practicing flying in Hulhumale' - photo: Rish)

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Dream If You Dare To Chase Them

I promised this blog is all about random rambles. I don't know what I am writing here, so excuse me if it is all over the place.

I am 21. Soon to be 22. And often I wonder what have I done in the past 21 years. How much have I accomplished with life. Where am I heading to. Have my actions helped or hindered my dreams. I often wonder this. I question myself over and over and over again.

I had a good childhood, surrounded by friends and family who loved me dearly. But, I don't think I ever fit it. I always remember that feeling of emptiness inside me. That feeling of loneliness even when surrounded by people. I remember it as if it was just yesterday.

Maybe that is why I have always wanted to please other people, keep everyone happy all the time and not be disliked by anyone at all. The idea of someone disliking me would crush me, and I would go to any extent to mend that relation and that view.

I was the school captain for my primary school and deputy captain of both my secondary and higher secondary school. I was selected for the first two and elected for the later. I still remember that day when I was elected by the students of VIHS with almost 75% of the votes to be their deputy captain. I was a boy from a small school in a small island, I knew many a people but did not have many friends then, I was socially awkward and starting a conversation was so difficult I did have to press my fingernails into my palm so hard the pain overcomes that fear. In all three school I tried to cater for everyones needs. Tried to do everything I can that was expected and asked of me. I worked long and hard to live up to the responsibility of the position. I tried my absolute best.

By the end of high school I knew a lot of people. I took every opportunity I got to meet and talk to new people. To learn new things and make new contacts. I went to every workshop, seminar, forum I could and volunteered my time at every rally and event I could. And that was how I got to attend my first international workshop, Training for Trusteeship in Sri Lanka. This was a true learning experience but I still had difficulty talking to strangers and that I think hindered me from getting the full experience.

Youth Leadership Programme was where I overcame most of this fear. Being stuck with 39 strangers for 3 weeks in a small block in a small island will get the best and worst out of everyone. I remember sitting behind a desk facing my back to everyone on the second last day of the programme and crying my eyes out. I did not cry only because I was sad at leaving and letting go off it all, I cried knowing how much I had grown in the past 3 weeks, I cried because I was the first time I could trust and get along with a group of people with such ease.

From then on I never turned back. The London study tour was the next eye opening moment of my life. This was where I learnt the impact one man can have, that dreams do come true to those who dare to dream and that anything is possible if you work hard enough to achieve them. This was also why and how DYM began. Soon after the trip Shaha, Rish, I and a group of other friends established Dhi Youth Movement, she has flourished from a group of friends having fun together to a recognised organisation.

I don't know what I am trying to say here. But, yesterday someone told me that he envies me and wish he could live my simple fun life. I did not get good things served on a silver platter. I was from a simple middle income family and I worked for this, to be where I am today. Honest to God I thought I would end up doing some 9 to 5 job in an office I hate but I never let who I was dictate who I wanted to be. I still have difficulty with people, some might think its my attitude or stubbornness but I work hard every day to excel myself and to fulfil my promise to my country to serve it till the last moment. So don't envy me, I am a nobody, anyone could fill these shoes, work hard and you can achieve miracles. If you believe in yourself and work for the dreams to come true, you can make them come true.

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